USA: The Face of Freedom Lost

The young bay colt with the bright white star on his forehead looked out from the trailer with pleading eyes.The face of freedom lost.
Just hours before, the colt had been running free with his family – his mother, his father, his siblings, playing with the other yearlings and foals who were part of his family band.
And then the helicopters descended. The colt and his family ran for their lives. For miles, they fled the unrelenting machine in the sky, covering the rough terrain. They ran and ran until they were lathered with sweat, despite the bitter cold temperatures.But there was no escape.Finally, a horse came into view. Unknown to the colt, this was the Judas horse, strategically placed and trained to lead the wild horses into the trap. The colt and his family followed. At the mouth of the trap pen, the Judas horse abruptly turned, leaving the wild horses alone to run in. The gate slammed shut.It was over. The colt's freedom now gone forever. Never to touch his mother's side or see his family again. His fate forever changed.
We've named this colt Journey, because his tragic journey is shared by each of the 1,430 wild horses who lost their freedom in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Owyhee Complex roundup last month. And by the 46,000 formerly wild horses and burros warehoused in holding government holding facilities, like the one outside Reno where the young colt is now held captive.

Journey's life and the lives of all these captured mustangs are literally on the line in the coming year. Pressure is mounting to slaughter them so tens of thousands of more can be rounded up from their homes on the range. The new Congress and Administration hold the fate of these cherished animals in their hands.